Good Monday morning. Before I dive into today's topic, I (Erinn) want to give a shout out to the security guard at my office building in NYC. Every morning when I walk in (amongst many other people walking in at the same time - my office has about 5,000 people in it) I get a , "happy Monday", "happy Tuesday" etc. He always seems to be in good spirits and having him greet me every morning is a lovely encounter, so I just wanted to give him some props for the positivity he is putting out into the world. It's always the littlest things isn't it?

Onto today's #MindfulnessMonday topic, we wanted to share a quote from Bryan Kest that reads, ""Yoga doesn't ask you to be more than you are. But it does ask you to be all that you are". Sometimes getting on our mats can be intimidating. We look around and see super bendy people "warming up" in full hanumanasana (split) or others with a really strong inversion practice hopping and holding all kinds of fun things upside down and we start to think, "well, I can't do that, so I am not enough- not good enough at yoga, not strong enough, not bendy enough" and it goes on and on and on. But, as we all know, this is not the goal of yoga. It is not about how much you can do, but it is about how much you can commit to being present. It is not about pushing beyond your physical or mental limits, but it is about being fully where you are. This quote asks that when you show up on your mat (and in your life really), you fully and truthfully show up with all that you have. And, that can be different from day to day. And, that is okay.

We are going to try to be all that we are this week - no more and no less. For us, this means, we won't over commit and over schedule ourselves, but we also won't make excuses or stories about why we can't or don't want to do something. We will acknowledge where and who we are, practice presence and try to live up to the best versions of ourselves. We encourage you to try to do the same.

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? We hope it was wonderful! Anyone watch the Grammy's? Anyone just burst into tears for Beyonce and Adele and all the epic beauty of those two!?! No? Just me? Okay!

On this #MindfulnessMonday we want to talk a bit about mortality. Death is one of the biggest fears of living beings and yet, it is one of the few absolutes in our lives. One day, we are all going to die. We're not trying to be morbid or a downer, but it is a fact. What happens in between now and then though, that's up to us. That is why, we say, let's live! Let's live out loud. Let's take advantage of this beautiful, challenging, amazing, heartbreaking, mesmerizing life we have and live it to the fullest. And that doesn't mean we have to jump out of airplanes (although speaking from personal experience, it's fun) or do karaoke in Times Square, but it means to engage, to connect and to go for the things you want. Commit to activities that matter to you and take advantage of opportunities that are presented.

My father battled cancer and won at a very young age. As a result he is a major do-er! If there is snow on the ground, he is on the ski hill. If there is sun shining he is playing golf followed by biking then windsurfing topped off by a midnight kayak under the stars. If there is a classical music concert at the local university, he is there. People say he's nuts, and he kind of is, but no one can say that he doesn't live his life and make the most of all it has to offer him.

Too often it takes a major life event, be it an illness or a death to make us stop and remember to take advantage of all of our opportunities and capabilities. Let's not wait for those things anymore. Let's dive right in whenever, wherever!

We live in a society where we’re always giving away our energy. We’re working hard, caring for family, spending time with friends, trying to be healthy.... constantly on and going going going.

We end up feeling drained and resentful, which can lead to burnout and unreasonable amounts of stress. Stress is the #1 cause of chronic disease and can show up in our bodies as weight gain, acne, anxiety, indigestion, and many other things we’re better off without.The thing is, we can’t give away something that we don’t have. What do I mean? If you want to have loving and fulfilling relationships you need to create one with yourself first. In order to do that, you must put yourself before everybody else. I know this may feel counter-intuitive to being the superwoman (or man) that you want to be, but in fact it is the most self-less thing you can do for the people in your life, and great for you too! So with love in the air -- love yourself first!​Here are 6 easy ideas to show yourself some TLC, every day:

1. Morning mantra: We have a choice to start every day with love. Instead of letting your to-do list wake you up, try this: as soon as you get up, look in the mirror and say (or scream) I LOVE YOU! 2. Indulge in a hobby: When are you most in the zone? Whether it’s reading, cooking or channeling your inner Picasso with some adult coloring books, find a passion that lets you unwind.3. Make time for sex and romance You might be super tired once you climb into bed, but making time for some Vitamin Lovin’ with your significant other can lead to better sleep. 4. Watching your fave show: Allow yourself to fully be present and really relax, so when it’s time to get back to other activities, like work or cleaning up your home, you can be fully present in those moments too.5- Take yourself on a date: Whether it’s seeing a movie, trying a restaurant you’ve always wanted to check out, or walking around in your favorite hood, it’s all about YOUAnd…6- Schedule it in! Notice how you never miss a meeting or dinner reservation? That’s because you’re honoring the commitment you made to others. Honor the same commitment to yourself by scheduling in time for self-love.